HoopsHype.com Rumors

“Barca is a great team. I admire the way they pass, move the ball, cut and make screens.’’ -- Mavs coach Rick Carlisle after Tuesday's 99-85 loss to FC Barcelona Regal Sulia

Dallas Mavericks, Coaching, FC Barcelona, Spain, Rick Carlisle 

To most basketball fans this is a picture of Dallas Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle posing with his opposite number for tonight's game, Barcelona's head coach Xavi Pascual. But NBA.com have mistaken Pascual, who has led Barcelona to the Euroleague title in 2010 as well as a Final Four appearance in 2012 as a fan posing with the 2011 NBA title winning coach. From NBA.com: "Rick Carlisle of the Dallas Mavericks poses for a portrait with a fan during practice at Palau Blaugrana during NBA Europe Live 2012 on October 8, 2012 in Barcelona, Spain." TalkBasket

Dallas Mavericks, Coaching, FC Barcelona, Spain, Rick Carlisle, Xavi Pascual 

Back in the mid- to late-‘90s, when Nowitzki was just rising to prominence with his Wurzburg, Germany, club team, he was wined and dined by the FC Barcelona club that he will play against Tuesday. “I was probably 17 or 18 and looking to come here maybe to develop and play here and make this a new home,’’ Nowitzki said Monday. “I decided to go toward the NBA instead. “But I had a great time here. They showed me around the city and it was great.’’ Dallas Morning News

Dallas Mavericks, Dirk Nowitzki, FC Barcelona, Spain 

This, of course, was followed by Spanish media members with questions about whether Nowitzki would consider finishing his career in Barcelona. “As of now, I still got two years under contract in Dallas and then I’ll be 36,’’ he said. “We’ll have to wait and see. If it’s still fun, if I’m still good enough for the NBA, maybe there’s a chance. “But if 82 or 100 games is too much and I want a little less, I could go to Europe and play 30 or 40 games. All that is a possibility, but as of now, I don’t actually see a chance.’’ Dallas Morning News

Dallas Mavericks, Dirk Nowitzki, FC Barcelona, Spain 

Marc Mundet: Gustavo Ayon case: Confirmed contacts between Barcelona, Fuenlabrada (the team that owns his rights in the Spanish League) and the agent. Barcelona is waiting on Orlando's decision. Coach and franchise have not given clues on what moves are coming. Twitter

Orlando Magic, FC Barcelona, Spain, Gustavo Ayon 

FC Barcelona is close to an agreement with Fuenlabrada to acquire the rights of Orlando Magic's Gustavo Ayon if he ever plays in Spain again. El Contraataque

Orlando Magic, FC Barcelona, Spain, Gustavo Ayon, Fuenlabrada 

FC Barcelona wants to sign Ayon before the month of November. El Contraataque

Orlando Magic, FC Barcelona, Spain, Gustavo Ayon, Fuenlabrada 

Dirk Nowitzki considered the Dallas Mavericks' trip to play in his native Germany "a dream come true." As the Mavericks prepared to hop on their team jet for a 14-hour flight to Berlin, Nowitzki admitted that he was excited to head overseas. The star forward also said he needs about 100 tickets for friends and family to attend Saturday's exhibition game against Alba Berlin, which sold out in less than an hour. "That's not bad for having never played in Germany," Nowitzki said. "I told the NBA, for all the crap I've been doing for them for 14 years, they better hook me up with a bunch of tickets." Those aren't the only tickets Nowitzki wants during the Mavs' European journey. The part of the trip he might be looking forward to the most will occur after the Mavs' arrival in Barcelona on Sunday, when he plans to attend "El Clasico," the twice-annual match between soccer superpowers FC Barcelona and Real Madrid. ESPN.com

Dallas Mavericks, Dirk Nowitzki, Real Madrid, FC Barcelona, Spain 

Kobe Bryant has jokingly suggested an exchange deal between LA Lakers and Barcelona involving himself and Lionel Messi. The NBA superstar travelled to Europe this week to shoot a commercial for Turkish Airlines together with the Argentina international, and he would be happy to trade places with the 25-year-old for a week. "It would be fun if I spent one week with Barcelona and Messi played one week with the Lakers," Bryant told reporters. "What the commercial will be like? Probably Messi will play football and I will play basketball..." Goal.com

Los Angeles Lakers, Kobe Bryant, FC Barcelona, Spain, Lionel Messi, Showbusiness 

Mete Aktas: Kobe Bryant will play in a new commercial film for Turkish Airlines along with FC Barcelona star Lionel Messi. Twitter

Los Angeles Lakers, Kobe Bryant, FC Barcelona, Spain, Lionel Messi 

Gustavo Ayon: "I would be proud if I could return to Spain and go back to a team like Real Madrid or Barcelona. I prefer Madrid because I know the city better." Marca.com

Orlando Magic, Real Madrid, FC Barcelona, Spain, Gustavo Ayon 

Erazem Lorbek is not closing the door on the NBA. El 9

FC Barcelona, Erazem Lorbek 

Erazem Lorbek: "In the end, choosing Barça was easy. I had the San Antonio option, but I decided to stay here." Mundo Deportivo

San Antonio Spurs, FC Barcelona, Erazem Lorbek 

One free -agent possibility to remember next summer is FC Barcelona forward Joe Ingles. He has an NBA opt-out clause in his contract at that point. ESPN.com

Minnesota Timberwolves, Free Agency, FC Barcelona, Joe Ingles 

Darren Wolfson: A FA to remember for the #Twolves next summer: Joe Ingles. He'll remain playing for FC Barcelona in '12-'13. Kahn has talked w/ his agent. Twitter

Minnesota Timberwolves, FC Barcelona, Joe Ingles 

Four years later, though, he would not be denied the ultimate souvenir, because Paul moved too fast for the security guards at O2 Arena. Spanish defenders know the feeling. "If it's not Kevin Durant, it's LeBron James," Spanish guard Juan Carlos Navarro lamented after his 19-point first half, combined with Pau Gasol's brilliant third quarter, only wound up slightly closing the 11-point gap that separated these nations at the '08 Olympics. "If it's not one, it's the other one." ESPN.com

Miami Heat, Oklahoma City Thunder, LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Pau Gasol, USA Basketball, FC Barcelona, Spain, Olympics, Juan Carlos Navarro 

A. Sherrod Blakely: #CelticsTalk: Congrats to former #Celtic, BU and UMass alum Tony Gaffney (@Tony Gaffney) for deal w/Barcelona team Joventut in the ACB! Twitter

Boston Celtics, FC Barcelona, Spain, Tony Gaffney 

Sarunas Jasikevicius decided to choose Barcelona over Kaunas, signing a one-year deal with the Catalan club instead of Zalgiris. The 36-year-old playmaker will return to Spain after nine years spent elsewhere around the globe. lithuaniabasketball.com

FC Barcelona, Sarunas Jasikevicius 

Kobe Bryant: In three years you'll see me play with FC Barcelona. I love Barça and I love the city of Barcelona. I watch the ACB League with Pau Gasol and the games are as intense as the NBA but in the USA is more difficult because we play more games and it's more physical than the ACB." Basket4Us

Los Angeles Lakers, Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol, FC Barcelona, Spain 

Real Madrid, FC Barcelona and Efes Pilsen are interested in Gustavo Ayon. Encestando

Real Madrid, FC Barcelona, Spain, Turkey, Efes Pilsen, Gustavo Ayon